Report Card: A to Holshouser's legacy, F to higher interest loans

Former Gov. Jim Holshouser

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to JBuchanan@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

Reader grades

A to Susan Reinhardt for calling for transparent labeling of GMO food products and to John Boyle for calling out our locally elected state representatives Tim Moffitt and Nathan Ramsey for their ruthless attempt to control from Raleigh what should be local decisions. These corporations and politicians model the bullying style of getting their way, regardless of the desires of a majority of citizens. What a terrible legacy for our children.

Jane Kniffin, Weaverville

A to all of those Ashevillians who have labored to make our city the attractive venue that it is for so advanced an operation as G.E. Aviation's new plant. Hopefully, the Raleigh wrecking crew will not succeed with their plans to undercut our accomplishments.

Hal Hogstrom, Asheville

F to the Asheville Citizen-Times for grading an A to the sentences handed out in a major poaching case. In the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, lobster poachers are given sentences of two to three years. What makes lobsters more valuable than bears? In the bear poaching case, multiple agencies are spending valuable resources to stop illegal hunting. A sentence of only 30 days is a shame. We should have more respect for our natural resources than that.

Susan Garriques, Asheville

Staff grades

A to the legacy of Jim Holshouser, the first Republican to serve as governor of North Carolina in the 20th century (1973-77). The Boone native began his public career as a longtime state representative for Watauga County and rose to the level of House minority leader. As governor, he championed public education, from kindergarten through college, and could find common ground with General Assemblies controlled by Democrats. "I'm pretty tolerant about other people's views," he once said. That is a reminder of what Republicans used to be before extremists took over the party.

Incomplete to the Strategic Mobility Formula, a new plan to fund road projects in North Carolina, which could see the resurrection of the much needed Interstate 26 connector through Asheville. The House gave final approval Wednesday, by a 105-7 vote, to the bill that makes major changes to the way transportation projects are funded in North Carolina for the first time in more than two decades. House Bill 817 now goes to Gov. Pat McCrory, who proposed the changes and is expected to sign it. Throughout the legislative process, supporters lauded it as a way to take the politics out of road building in favor of a data-driven project-selection process. We'll applaud if this brings the long-delayed improvements to the hazardous Bowen Bridge over the French Broad River.

F to Gov. Pat McCrory signing a bill into law that allows higher interest rates for installment loans. Proponents argued consumers have a right to make their own credit choices. Opponents said installment loans lead to endless cycles of debt among low-income people. An Associated Press investigation found a group of loan providers spent more than $1.8 million on lobbying to shepherd the bill through the legislature. This puts far more money in the pockets of financial companies than consumers, and looks like a foot in the door to payday lenders, which the state rightfully booted out of North Carolina.

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Report Card: A to Holshouser's legacy, F to higher interest loans

A to Susan Reinhardt for calling for transparent labeling of GMO food products and to John Boyle for calling out our locally elected state representatives Tim Moffitt and Nathan Ramsey for their